Gustavo Bell

Gustavo Adolfo Bell Lemus (born 1 February 1957) is a Colombian politician, lawyer, economist and diplomat who served as vice president of Colombia from 1998 to 2002 under the administration of Andrés Pastrana Arango, during which time he also served concurrently as High Commissioner for Human Rights of Colombia and as Minister of National Defence between 2001 and 2002. He also served as the Colombian ambassador to Cuba from 2011 to 2017. In 1992, as the 53rd Governor of Atlántico, he became the first popularly elected Governor of the Department following the enactment of the 1991 Colombian Constitution.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Bell and the second or maternal family name is Lemus.
Gustavo Bell
Gustavo Bell in 2018
7th Vice President of Colombia
In office
7 August 1998 – 7 August 2002
PresidentAndrés Pastrana Arango
Preceded byCarlos Lemos Simmonds
Succeeded byFrancisco Santos Calderón
Colombian Ambassador to Cuba
In office
7 March 2011 – 19 March 2017
PresidentJuan Manuel Santos
Preceded byJulio Londoño Paredes
Succeeded byAraceli Morales López
Minister of National Defence
In office
11 June 2001 – 7 August 2002
PresidentAndrés Pastrana Arango
Preceded byLuis Fernando Ramírez
Succeeded byMarta Lucía Ramírez
53rd Governor of Atlántico
In office
1 January 1992 – 31 December 1993
Preceded byArnold Gómez Mendoza
Succeeded byNelson Polo Hernández
Personal details
Born
Gustavo Adolfo Bell Lemus

(1957-02-01) 1 February 1957
Barranquilla, Atlántico, Colombia
Political partyConservative
Other political
affiliations		Great Alliance for Change (1998)
SpouseMaría Mercedes de la Espriella
ChildrenMaría Alexandra Bell de la Espriella
Alma materPontifical Xavierian University (LLB, MSc)
St Antony's College, Oxford (PhD)
ProfessionLawyer, Economist, Historian

Career

Education

Bell attended the Pontifical Xavierian University where he obtained a double degree in laws and socioeconomics. He completed graduate studies at the University of the Andes on a Constitutional Bicentenary scholarship from the Bank of the Republic [Colombia], the Escuela de Estudios Hispano-Americanos at Seville on a research scholarship from Spain's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, and St Antony's College, Oxford on a British Council scholarship, where he also obtained a Ph.D. in modern history.[1]

In addition to his academic studies, Bell was one of the founding members and part of the faculty of the University of the North in Barranquilla.

Journalism

Bell began his work in journalism in El Heraldo, and quickly rose to become one of the most influential journalist in northern Colombia. While working as Executive Editor of El Heraldo, Bell suffered an assassination attempt but escaped unharmed.

Governorship

In 1991 Bell run for governor of the Atlántico Department as an independent candidate, he became the first elected governor by popular vote of this Department for the period between 1992-1994. (governors in Colombia were appointed by the President before the constitution of 1991)

Vice Presidency (1998-2002)

After spending three years studying in the United Kingdom, Bell returned to Colombia in 1997 and joined the presidential campaign of Andrés Pastrana. Pastrana offered him the Vice Presidency of Colombia, They were elected for the 1998-2002 presidential period.

Vice President Bell was in charge of the Colombian Office for Human Rights issues between 1998 and 2001, year in which President Pastrana also appointed him the Ministry of National Defence.

Ambassadorship

On 29 October 2010, President Juan Manuel Santos Calderón designated Bell to be Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Colombia to the Republic of Cuba stating "I think [a] better ambassador to Cuba would not be found. We want to maintain a special relationship with Cuba and therefore we will send an ambassador of high carat, as Dr. Bell".[2] On 7 March 2011, Bell was sworn in by President Santos on as Ambassador to Cuba in a ceremony at the Palace of Nariño.[3] Bell served as ambassador until 2017 and was succeeded by Araceli Morales López.[4]

Personal life

Bell was married to María Mercedes De La Espriella and has one daughter named María Alexandra.

References
  1. "Perfiles de los nueve integrantes de la Misión de Política Exterior" [Profiles of the nine members of the Foreign Policy Council] (in Spanish). Bogotá: Press Office of the Presidency of Colombia (SP). 9 December 2008. Archived from the original on 23 July 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  2. Santos Calderón, Juan Manuel (29 October 2010). "Gustavo Bell Lemus designado Embajador en Cuba" [Gustavo Bell designated Ambassador in Cuba] (in Spanish). Press Office of the Presidency of Colombia (SIG). Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  3. "Presidente Santos posesionó a Gustavo Bell Lemus como nuevo Embajador de Colombia en Cuba" [President Santos sworn in Gustavo Bell Lemus as the new Ambassador of Colombia in Cuba] (in Spanish). Press Office of the Presidency of Colombia (SIG). 7 March 2011. Retrieved 15 April 2011.
  4. "La cartagenera Aracelis Morales, nueva embajadora en Cuba". El Heraldo (in Spanish). 19 March 2017. Archived from the original on 13 March 2022. Retrieved 18 May 2022.
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